St. Baldrick's Day Celebration

                                                   Another Community Involvement Event…

(Long Beach, Ca. March 21, 2003 by Casey A. Carver)

“How much will you pay me to shave my head”? was a common question around Long Beach this past week.  “Shavees” were raising money for the National Childhood Cancer Foundation. Our own Wayne was the first to offer to shave bald for this cause. So…staff and members started telling our neighbors and friends about this fundraiser. Donation forms were circulated, and people started donating “on line” or mailing-in checks.

As part of the world wide St. Baldrick’s celebration, volunteers joined in this important cause. They joined at Limerick’s Irish Pub in the Naples, Long Beach . On Friday evening, March 14th, firefighters, contractors and family members of people with cancer gathered to “Go bald for cancer research” said Mike Padilla, the volunteer event coordinator. Padilla is also a firefighter/diver for the Los Angeles City Fire Department in the L.A. Harbor. “People are asked to shave  to support kids who are ‘bald by chemo’ instead of  ‘bald by razor” said Padilla.

At about 6:30 pm. The first head was buzzed to the applause of the crowd of about 100 donators and volunteers. He was 8 year old Jacob Mallett. He said “I want to be as bald as Stone Cold Steve Austin”, and he got his wish. Mallett lost an eleven year old  cousin to brain cancer.   As cameras flashed, Jacob gladly gave-up his blond/brown hair to a barber’s clippers. He was given a huge fuzzy green “St.Baldricks top hat”, and t-shirt, and other gifts. His family and friends donated about $1,000.00 just for his shaving. Later-on, member Frank Hendricks got buzzed for the cause. Wayne Munchel was next to the cheers of Village staff. Later in the evening, Guyton Colantuano lost his blond locks too.